WA’s great bunch

Carnarvon grower John Kearney is the voice behind a new buy local campaign.

In an attempt to promote the Buy West Eat Best campaign throughout the State, local growers are getting vocal.

WA producers have lent their voices to a new television advertising campaign encouraging consumers to look for locally-produced food when shopping.

Carnarvon banana grower John Kearney is the voice behind the bunch of bananas in the milk and bananas television ad.

Mr Kearney has been growing bananas for about 30 years and said the Buy West Eat Best campaign had helped to improve the status of WA bananas in the local market.

He has been part of the sweeter banana co-op since its inception (1988) and was approached to do the ad.

"Anything that can promote local produce has got to help, because we're competing against Queensland all the time," Mr Kearney said.

"Hopefully when people go to the supermarket and are given the alternative, they will buy our produce."

Agriculture and Food Minister Terry Redman unveiled the new ‘Be vocal about eating local' campaign on Sunday.

"The television advertisements are a novel way for our producers to speak directly to their WA customers to remind them just how good the food is we produce in our own backyard," Mr Redman said.

"This campaign will see the Buy West Eat Best logo plastered across the State.

Mr Redman said the success of the campaign was because of the strong support from a big number of Buy West Eat Best members, who had contributed financially to the campaign.

"There are now more than 90 Buy West Eat Best partners, including major retailers, producers and growers; all passionate about producing and promoting WA food," Mr Redman said.

Mr Kearney said the campaign was a good way to keep the quality of local produce fresh in the minds of WA consumers.

"Up here we don't use any insecticides on our bananas, so it's a good healthy product and tastes better than the Queensland stuff," Mr Kearney said.

"Once they recognise our brand they'll look for it and it might even give us a better price.

He said that most of his bananas went to central markets, where they were distributed through retailers.

"We even sell direct to local supermarkets," he said.

"We've seen a few struggles over the years but it's been a very good thing because we believed in the concept.

"Now we've got a lot of good people involved and the future is looking positive.

"What we are doing here only helps."

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